Nurse Dickinson has been inducted into the ND Nursing Hall of Fame

Dickinson, ND (KFYR) – It’s been 35 years since a nurse was inducted into the North Dakota Nurses Hall of Fame.

Recently, a Dickinson nurse received a great honor.

You can often find Tessa Johnson here talking to residents of Evergreen and Country Living Institutions.

“Our goal is always to make sure residents have what they need,” said Tessa Johnson, executive director.

Nurse Dickinson is the executive director and recently received a new title.

“I was inducted into the North Dakota Nursing Hall of Fame,” Johnson said. “I was actually completely shocked, I didn’t even know it was a thing because it’s been so long since I’ve been given this award.”

The last time a nurse was recognized was in 1987, Johnson said.

Johnson is also president of the ND Nurses Association; she says she is passionate about helping people and her nurses. He says this was especially important during the coronavirus pandemic.

She has even supported nurses in Washington, DC by speaking to state legislators about the need.

“Vaccines, masking, nurses going to work when sick, and nurses not having enough supplies, and nurses having a low staff-to-resident ratio. So our role is always to be the voice of the nurses,” Johnson said.

Johnson’s colleagues also note her contributions to nurses across the country.

“She has a very contagious passion, she gets everyone excited about really good care,” said Terry Jo Goldsmith at Agemark Senior Living.

At just 37 years old, Johnson has already accomplished a lot, but this is just the beginning of his career in senior living.

Johnson attended Dickinson State University and Grand Canyon University.

He says he’s thankful for his team and feels more like a family after the pandemic.

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